Gran Turismo 2 Looks to Slide into 2000

After another thorough check of all the retail web sites, calls to retailers, and direct letters to IGNPSX from retailers telling us only one thing, it looks as if Gran Turismo 2 really, really, really won't make its supposed December 7 ship date after all.

Babbages, Software Etc., Wal Mart, and Target all directly indicate that Gran Turismo 2 will ship to stores as early as January 20, 2000, or even as late as February 20, 2000. And the last of the retail chains to hold onto the December 7 date, Electronics Boutique, changed its date yesterday. EB now has listed the game for a January 20, 2000 release date.

But despite all of the retail noise, Sony Computer Entertainment America officials remain steadfast in their original release date of December 7, 1999. After a conversation with a Sony representative, the game remains "on schedule" for a December 7 ship date, and a shelf date of December 8, 1999.

This, despite no actual code. Sony told IGNPSX two weeks ago code would be in our hands by mid-November, but we still haven't received any GT2 previewable software. Sony stated in the past that because Polyphony is a highly detailed-oriented, perfectionist type developer a preview version would be hard to come by. No game magazines had a previewable copy of Gran Turismo one a half years ago either.

After a visit to the SF International Auto Show (open from Thanksgiving Day to December 5, 1999 in the Moscone Center), IGNPSX today found out new information on the stellar game, which was in playable form! PlayStation Store representatives from the Metreon (Sony's exclusive SF mall) showed off eight copies of the latest versions of Gran Turismo 2. The version, IGNPSX is told, was not complete, but was a programmer's version. More than 23 courses were available, rally racing and rally cars was available for the first time, and ghost cars were playable. Gran Turismo mode wasn't available, but Time Trials, Rally and Street modes were. For more information on the details, see "GT2 Invades SF Auto Show."

The PlayStation Store officials backed the same story as Sony, saying that Gran Turismo 2 will be ready and in their store by December 7, too.

So who's right? The problem appears to be a classic case of developer perfectionism. Polyphony wants to finish it, but only when it's definitively complete. Sony executives already have their marketing dollars, advertisements, and hype machine all backing December 7, and they realize the game's huge potential as a winter holiday title is huge, and don't want to miss the biggest season of the year. Sony wouldn't dare ship it before it's complete, so it's in a quandary, hoping Polyphony can perform some kind of miracle, and unwilling to budge on the date.

PlayStation store reps were also taking pre-orders for GT2 and IGNPSX purchased one. The reps guaranteed the final copy would be shipped to us by December 7. So, if indeed the early December date is correct, we'll let you know as soon as we get a copy!